A moderate earthquake jolted Pakistan-Afghanistan border and parts of Indian administered Kashmir on Thursday, injuring three persons.

New Delhi, April 4/Nationalturk – A 5.4 magnitude earthquake jolted the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and parts of Indian administered Kashmir on Thursday, causing injuries to three persons in Pakistan’s restive city of Peshawar.

“The earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale and having epicentre located 279 kilometres northeast of Kabul in Afghanistan near the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border area jolted Pakistan-Afghanistan at around 1202 hours today,” according to the United States Geological Survey.

According to reports, the tremors were felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Abbotbad, Haripur, Mianwalli, Shagla, Swat, Malakand, Peshawar and Rawalpindi and Lahore cities in Pakistan. There were reports that the tremor was also felt in Nowshera area of Pakistan administered Kashmir.

Media reports said that three persons were injured in Pakistan’s Peshawar city due to tremors, which lasted almost 30 seconds in the restive city. The injured persons were hospitalized.

Reports said the earthquake was also felt in parts of Afghanistan also.

The tremor were also felt in parts of Indian administered Kashmir. “The earthquake recorded at 1202 hours lasted for around 10 seconds,” an official of the local Meteorological Department said.

Tremor caused panic

He said the tremor created panic among the people of the region, who ventured out in open and remain in open space for some time.

“There was no report of any damage to property or injuries due to the tremor,” he said.

Pakistan, Indian administered Kashmir and Pakistani controlled Kashmir was hit by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake on October 8, 2005. It killed nearly 80000 people in the region with most of the casualties taking place in Pakistan and Pakistan controlled Kashmir.